


Like Embers Glowing Through The Night

by H4R1N3ZUme



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26083201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/H4R1N3ZUme/pseuds/H4R1N3ZUme
Summary: Tomorrow his kingdom will be celebrating a royal wedding, but Chanyeol is preoccupied with more important things.
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 10
Kudos: 31
Collections: Challenge #6 — Rise of Kingdoms





	Like Embers Glowing Through The Night

Chanyeol took a deep breath, unsuccessfully trying to calm down the buzz that was vibrating through every vein, knowing the only possible source of calm was waiting outside the city gates. He patted his right pocket with a nervous smile before setting off down Amalgam alley. 

The sun, that had previously cast its orange glow over the houses and walls, had just sunk behind the horizon and on his way he encountered light mages on the way to illuminate the city streets. Tonight they were noticeably more extravagant. Instead of sticking to the usual emerald night glimmer they were showing off with glowing spheres that held different colours, changed their size and hues or continued moving around in their assigned places.

The crown princess-to-be was probably observing this from her balcony high up in the castle. Chanyeol was sure crown prince Baekhyun was by her side proudly showing off his home. Not that he knew him personally, but if the gossip could be believed, he was likely chatting to her enthusiastically and incessantly. Chanyeol smiled to himself imagining the bride-to-be suppressing her yawns like her position and education dictated.

The palace had been built on a hill and the city grew around it and was now surrounding the queen's seat from all sides protectively. The palaces' four main towers were great helps for navigating around the twisted alleyways all over town. Each was facing one of the cardinal directions and was adorned with one type of gemstone. The queen's great-great-great-grandfather had had this idea after getting lost in town himself – at least that's the legend passed down amongst the common folk.

Chanyeol's family's smithy was located underneath the ruby tower, just like all the other fire and iron related craft shops. “That's a bit on the nose, isn't it?” he remembered a smooth voice remarking dryly when he had given them a tour around. Chanyeol chuckled to himself. Oh, how he missed that voice.

He kept the ruby tower at his back as he slowly but surely neared the northern gate. The streets close by were still busy with merchants moving out of the city towards their houses for the night and travellers arriving in the city to join in the wedding festivities in the coming days. The celebratory mood was palpable, with noise and music bursting out of the bars along with the play of light and shadows from the jovial lot. 

It seemed like many citizens used the eve of the royal wedding to get a head start on all the merrymaking planned for the coming days. Never mind the weariness common among all the trades directly linked to the royal family. Chanyeol could be glad that he, one of the ironworkers, had done his part during the preparation period and was now more or less free to enjoy the festivities however he wanted.

Chanyeol approached the archway that connected the inner city and the surrounding area. In the last couple of generations it had turned into a sprawling settlement as if the tightly packed houses had spilled out of the walls containing them. His mother had remarked something about plans for building another wall to protect the ever-growing outer city and all Chanyeol could hope for was the preservation of some of the greenery and open spaces. Right now there were still some meadows and the seams of Verdigris forest to the north-east left clear of solid settlements. 

“Good evening, Chanyeol.”  
The greeting pulled him out of his thoughts and he felt a smile stretch over his face when he saw who it was. His childhood friend Sehun was leaning against the outside of the wall in his guard uniform and looked at him with his brows furrowed as usual.  
“How are ya, Sehunnie. Already stressed from all the hustle and bustle?”  
“Not really. But I still can't wait to be relieved.”  
Chanyeol hummed.  
“How are your parents? Did you finish up all your work before the festival?”  
“Yeah, after the ring selection last month there was only the usual maintenance work to do actually.”  
Sehun's brows shot up in surprise. “Wait, was your shop selected to provide the rings?!”  
“No no, we weren't. We still got to present our work and show some design ideas. But in the end Yoobin's shop was selected.”  
“Oh, I'm sorry.”  
Chanyeol chuckled at Sehun's disappointed face. “No worries. I still got to practice and learn something in the end...”

His hand brushed his pocket unconsciously and Chanyeol couldn't help glancing towards his destination nervously. Although he liked spending time with his friend and would like to catch up, the pull towards the forest was only growing stronger and he was wrecking his brain for polite ways to excuse himself.

“So, where are you off to?”  
“Well, maybe you didn't get to see the procession through the city, but not only the princess has arrived to be gawked at by the people. I mean, what would a big royal blow-out be without jesters, minstrels and mummers.”  
He saw the glint of understanding in Sehun's eyes and so he simply said, “It's been five months, so- Sorry, I have to go.”  
Sehun just nodded and shouted a “See you tomorrow then!” towards Chanyeol's retreating back.

Even though he increased his pace the road to the mummers' camp seemed to stretch on and on until Chanyeol finally passed the last house and could see their wagons and colourful tents spread across the plain in front of the forest, their occupants mere shadows against the campfire. He was glad that they occupied their usual place and headed straight for the tent closest to the trees, disregarding all else.

“Chanyeol.” 

The voice was as soft and warm as he remembered. Chanyeol sank into the embrace he had longed for for so long. He felt all of the accumulated tension leave him. He could breath easy again. 

He was finally home. 

“Welcome back, Kyungsoo.”

**Author's Note:**

> First of all thank you for reading this! 😄❤  
> Tiny Sparks was a great opportunity for me to go ahead and actually finish and post something for the first time, thanks to the restriction of 1k words. (A blessing and a curse at the same time, as some of my fellow writers will agree I'm sure.😄)  
> And the mods did such a great job throughout!😊❤❤❤
> 
> I like Royalty au, but it's not totally my cup of tea, especially when it comes to writing. So it took me some time to get a grasp on the whole 'kingdom' angle. But once I started to make up my setting the ideas kept coming and now I have all these backstories that I couldn't actually put in anywhere within 1k words, so...yeah...😅  
> I think I would like to return to this as of yet still unnamed kingdom and to my lovely smith Chanyeol and mummer Kyungsoo and write about them some more. With so many other fests going on, we'll see when I actually find time for that though...😅
> 
> I'm so glad I participated and got to read so many inspiring works, so hopefully we'll see each other again in future rounds!😄❤  
> All of your kudos and especially comments are hightly appreciated, it gives me so much joy to read them, tysm 😊❤❤❤


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